Life is What Happens

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

John Lennon, Beautiful Boy 

Installment 3

Mother G. and I stand there, almost holding our breath, watching Sheldon as he reads the letter.  The expression on his face quickly changes from seriousness to a delighted grin.

“Just listen to this,” he shouts and reads aloud, “Gerry has written us and said you are worried about the length of time your mononucleosis is keeping you from work.  Sheldon, we hired you for several reasons.  Your education and attitude were two, and the record of your summer work on our seismic crews were two more.  We consider that you are one of our permanent employees, on temporary sick leave.  Continue the recovery and we will welcome you back when you are able.”

“What do you think of that?” Sheldon asks.  Mother G. and I, of course, are crying and laughing at the same time.   

“I’m so proud of you, son,” she says, “Now relax and get well.”  With that she goes to start lunch.  I give Sheldon a big hug and kiss, and leave to set the table.  I am thinking, “Another hurdle over, thank heavens!”

Sheldon’s recovery seems to speed up after that; perhaps it is because the worry is gone.  Finally the day arrives when the blood test results are good.  The Haig doctors pronounce him “recovered” and ready to go back to work.  It is with joy and regret that we pack our things, and prepare to leave.  It is hard to say goodbye to the family, and impossible to thank them enough.  We will take the train back to Saskatchewan, to a town called Kerrobert.

There is another family “committee” gathered at the station, not a welcoming but a “Goodbye and Good Luck” one.  The Haig doctors and other relatives are there.  More than one reminded him to continue his weekly blood test.  We board the train and are off, going back to Regina, then north and west to Kerrobert.  This will be a short job for the crew before moving to Wainwright, Alberta to rejoin the rest of the crew.

Sheldon leaves for work this morning, happily and early.

“Why so early, Sheldon?”

“I want to get there in time to check over the instruments in the truck again.  Does this ever feel good – back to work.  Don’t try lifting anything too heavy in your unpacking, Marjie.  I’ll help you tonight.”

Things are going well.  Sheldon comes home, happy and tired.  Today he found a public health nurse who took a blood sample.  She will get it analyzed and bring him the results tomorrow.

The next day comes and goes.  It is almost supper time, and I hear Sheldon coming.  Going to the door I say, “Welcome home, Sheldon.  Any news?”

“Yes, and a bit of a blow.  The test results show a slight slippage.”

“Oh Sheldon, what does this mean?  Will you have to stop work again?”

“Yes and no, Marjie.  Gerry is not impressed.  He says I was managing the work fine, and the blood test has not dropped very much.  He believes if I just cut out the field work for a short time, it will recover.”

“But what will you do in the meantime?”

“He has moved me to the field office where the interpreters do their work.  I am now officially an interpreter trainee, and on full salary.”

“Sheldon, how wonderful.  Do you think you will like it?”

“That hardly matters.  It means that hopefully I can be useful while we wait and see what my tests show.  Gerry says it will teach me to have more respect for the skill of the interpreters than most field workers have!”

A couple of weeks have passed.  Gerry proved to be right.  Sheldon’s blood tests have rebounded and are staying up.  Tomorrow we move to Wainwright.  It will be great to see all the crew families together again.  Tonight we will pack, tomorrow travel, the next day find a place to live – and then it will be back to field work for Sheldon.

The day has finally arrived, all the ducks are in a row.  After two and a half months, Sheldon is really and truly well.  He got up early again this morning and put on his clean, unused work clothes.  A quick breakfast, and I see him out as he heads for the field crew’s assembly place.  I return to our basement suite and start my household chores.  It is a nice day, the sun is pouring in our small basement windows.  There is a telephone in the hall to serve the three suites.  It rings and someone answers and calls out, “For Marjorie Gibson.”

“Hello –who is calling?  Sheldon, is something wrong?”

“Well, yes,” a sheepish voice answers.  “Could you bring me down another pair of work pants?  I must have put on some weight this summer.  Bent over to pick up some equipment and the seam in the seat of my pants split open.  Please be as quick as you can – the crew is waiting for me to get decent so we can go to work.”

“At your service, honey – I’ll be right down.”

Sheldon is waiting for me at the edge of the assembly area.  He hurries over.

“Great, Marjie, many thanks.  See you later.”

He hustles off through the group of amused co-workers and heads for the restroom to change.  As I walk home (carrying the torn pants) my mind wanders back over the last few months.  This is a period I will not forget.  So many emotions involved – the love and excitement of being newly married, fear boarding on terror when I thought Sheldon might die, panic when I did not feel strong enough to cope with such unfamiliar problems, relief and joy when life returned to normal.

Mixed with this is the deep gratitude for all the help, comfort and love that has buoyed us up when we needed it.  A lot has been crammed into the first four months of our marriage.  I sigh, breathe in the warm September air, and say to myself, “This mononucleosis business is really over, thank heavens.  Sheldon and I in these four months have experienced a lot.  Surely marriage isn’t always this unpredictable.  Guess time will answer that.  In the meantime, I’ll wait to see what unexpected surprise is waiting for us around the next corner.  Think I’ll go home and do the dishes.  Then I’m going for a long walk and enjoy this lovely fall day.  That much I can be sure of.   Life feels good again.”

12 Comments

Filed under Seismic Life - The Womens' View

12 Responses to Life is What Happens

  1. Leone

    Hi Marj,
    You’re a great storyteller!
    It’s a great treat to come home from my “job” and read about your life. Please keep writing!
    Love
    Leone

    • Marjorie

      Nice to get your response, Leone. Much as I enjoyed doing this series, I may not do another one for a while! Glad you keep reading.

  2. Eleanor Jackson

    What a lovely way to end my day – reading this last installment to your life, so far – 4 months of married life. I hope there’s more to come.
    Love
    Eleanor

    • Marjorie

      Eleanor – Yes, just the start of what ended up being 65 years of marriage. A rocky start to a long and good journey. Glad you enjoyed the series.

  3. An inspiring story about taking on each problem only when it comes. Thank you!

    • Marjorie

      Judith – Maybe what it taught us was to keep a wary eye on the future – one just does not know what the next rough spot in the road will be – but so often there is a way around it.

  4. Eveline

    And then you went forth into the long years of your marriage knowing that you could deal with adversity and knowing you were not alone.

    Much love and thanks Eveline

    • Marjorie

      Eveline – Yes indeed. Looking back it is interesting to remember the people, family, co-workers and sometimes strangers who stepped in to offer help. I could write a blog about that.

  5. Doreen

    I really enjoy your stories, especially because they are true.
    Doreen

    • Marjorie

      Glad to hear from you, Doreen. Yes, those first four months were a real merry-go-round, sort of shook us up. Fortunately in the end, all was well. It was a growing up period for both of us.

  6. Alison Uhrbach

    I’m late reading your blog – life seems busy right now! I enjoy your stories, and the reassurance of knowing that in spite of challenges ( or because of them?) you carried on to become the strong couple that I knew as mentors as a child, and through to adulthood. These stories give me an insight into your early days that I never knew before, and I find it very interesting. Take care of yourself.

    • Marjorie

      Alison – Re some of your comment, may I say I am pleased that my stories give you some idea of who Sheldon and I are (“were”, now) and as when we were young. That is exactly what I hope these writings may do. It is so easy to end up cataegorizing people by their occupations, their family role, even their disabilities, and never see or know really who they are inside, as individuals. As an exaggerated example of this, I watched with amusement my 4-year-old great-granddaughter be absolutely overwhelmed trying to believe her grandmother was the MOTHER of her own mother!! Unfortunately, it is hard to outgrow this tendency to see others by their roles, not the hidden person. We all do it!